September 20, 2009

PRESCHOOL STAFF:  Room 1-We are so fortunate to have two wonderful full-time teaching assistants “Mrs.G,” (Maureen Guglietta), and “Miss Sara,” (Sara Zrike) working with your preschoolers this year. "Miss Joanne" (Joanne Fuglestad) is another good friend who has been helping out in our afternoon classes.  Maureen, Sara and Joanne have years of experience and expertise in the field of early childhood development, and with all of us working together—parents, teachers and children—we make a great team!

SPECIALS-

LIBRARY-The preschoolers will have the opportunity to visit Mrs. Groden, Mrs. Kirk and Mrs. Knott at the school library, and will be able to take out one book every two weeks.  Children will have the opportunity to enjoy their book for two weeks.

GYM-Due to budget constraints, the preschool will not have scheduled gym classes with a physical education teacher.  However, we will have the opportunity to use the gym at different times during the week.   If the weather is inclement, we will be able to get exercise in the gym during those days when we will not be able to use the playground.

I am very fortunate to be working with such a warm, nurturing, dedicated and hard working professional team and we all look forward to a positive and productive year with your little ones. 

WHAT’S HAPPENING: This month’s theme is ALL ABOUT ME and THE SEASON OF AUTUMN.  We are getting to know all about each other by working and playing together.  The morning classes are sponge painting apple trees to go along with our Apple Tree Song.  They will soon be making traffic lights to reinforce colors, shapes, and fine motor skills.  During the next few weeks, the morning Blue Birds will be matching, sorting and identifying the basic colors and shapes and participating in various counting activities.  They are enjoying the art projects, which coincide with autumn themes. They are looking for their first names while choosing a daily job and then exploring the activity centers.  They are learning to take off their jackets and put their backpacks in their cubbies, since one of our goals is to encourage independent self-help skills.  They enjoyed the first day puppet show performed by their teachers, Dog Goes to Nursery School.  They love singing and movement activities during circle time and have been cooperatively participating in the preschool curriculum. 

The afternoon Red Birds are making ALL ABOUT ME booklets.  Throughout their Pre-K year, they will be learning about beginning consonant sounds, rhyming, naming alphabet letters, discriminating colors and shapes, and counting to 10 with 1:1 correspondence.  During their learning centers, they will be practicing writing their first names and participating in various fine motor activities that involve coloring, cutting and matching activities.  Parents are encouraged to reinforce these concepts at home through play.  Kids love to cut coupons, sort the laundry, help create shopping lists or set the table.  They love to help, and at this age, they actually think it’s fun!!!! 

SOCIAL COMPETENCY:  Through good example, we encourage the children to use their manners with words such as please, thank you, excuse me, you’re welcome, and I’m sorry.   They are learning about playing and working together cooperatively and including others in their play.  They have been taking classroom responsibility by performing their daily jobs. Once a month, the preschoolers will be participate in our school-wide Get Along Gathering get-togethers to help promote social competency.  The theme for this month is RESPECT.

DROP OFF/PICK UP:  Thanks for helping to make the drop-off system at arrival time work so smoothly.  The preschool staff has found that the separation from home to school has been very positive and we appreciate your support in our efforts to make this transition as easy as possible.  The Blue Birds are adjusting nicely to their new teachers and new setting, and have been very cooperative and well-behaved. At the end of the school day, please park your car at the North Street entrance and check to see if we are in the playground.  If the weather is nice, we will be dismissing from the playground gate.  Please let us know in writing if someone different will be picking up your child.  Please make every effort to be prompt. We thank you for your cooperation.

SNACK: Parents are reminded to send one nutritious snack and beverage for your child each day.  No glass bottles please.  Due to food allergies, we ask children not to share their snacks at school.  In lieu of sending in sweets for birthday celebrations, we are asking the birthday child to bring in one plain white T shirt a few days in advance of their birthday. Their classmates will decorate the T shirt so the birthday child can wear it for his/her special day. 

ABSENCES:  If your child will be absent, please call me at school at 508-242-8847.

REMINDER:  Please return any paperwork, especially updated physicals, to me at your earliest convenience.  If you still have your child’s manila folder that I distributed at the beginning of the school year, please leave it in your child’s backpack and we will put any updated notices and papers in the folder for your child to take home at the end of the day.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Fun-filled fall field trips!  SAVE THE DATE!  Parents/caretakers/siblings welcome!

A.M. classes will be going to Tangerini’s Farm on October 15 and October 16, 2009!

P.M. classes will be going to Ward’s Berry Farm on October 13 and October 14!  

I will be sending home additional field trip information very soon.

No School- Monday, September 28 and Monday, October 12, 2009

No afternoon preschool on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 for Teacher In-Service Training.

Please check monthly calendar and field trip notices for more details.

Thanks for your support!